RC: WMC stutters switching between window and full-screen modes
When I toggle WMC to or from full-screen mode while watching TV (HD or not) or a DVD, both the video and sound pause or skip for a half second or more (very annoying because I multitask and often switch to window mode to attend to something else). This problem does NOT occur when I use WMP or PowerDVD to play a DVD or Blu-ray; those apps toggle seamlessly between window and full-screen(so the problem seems to be with the WMC code, not the drivers). I've had this WMC problem under build 7000x64 and 7100x64, with both the Vista64 video drivers and the WDDM1.1 video drivers. HOWEVER, for about an hour last night, the problem disapeared and the WMC toggle worked seamlessly. I don't inow why; I didn't install any drivers or change any video or WMC settings. But after I rebooted (after installing two Windows Updates for IE8), the problem resumed. The fact that the problem disappeared for an hour shows that the existing code is capable of working properly if things are in the right state. But I have been unable to reproduce the right state! Do others have this problem, or does the WMC full-screen toggle work properly? Some details follow. GA-P35-DS3Lr2(F8) Q9450 OCZ8500(4GB) GTX260(WDDM1.1/185.81b) 3xWDGreenPower(1TB)SATA WinTV1600 GGW-H20L 3007WFP(2560x1600) 6.1.7100x64 Avast4.8.1335 Both my desktop and WMC are set to 2560x1600 (native resoution). I've tried setting WMC to a lower full-screen resolution, but that just makes the problem worse. During playback of some DVDs, the FBI-warning screen flashes briefly when WMC toggles between full-screen and window. I have not installed any WinTV software (I just use the Windows-supplied drivers and the WMC app). The problem occurs even if no other apps are running and CPU usage is well under 10%.
May 6th, 2009 3:45pm

Can anyone confirm please either that they do, or do not, have this problem with WMC? I'd like to know if it's peculiar to my configuration. Thanks.
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May 9th, 2009 2:30pm

On a few more occasions, the problem spontaneously disappeared seemingly at random (there are no obvious circumstances that provoked the disappearance). Whenever the problem fixes itself, it remains fixed until I close WMC. But the next time I restart WMC, the problem is back until, infrequently, it fixes itself again.
June 14th, 2009 5:03pm

I can now reproduce the change reliably. To review: usually, whenever I toggle WMC between window mode and fullscreen mode, the video and sound pause for a half second or more (when watching live or recorded SD or HD TV, or playing a DVD; in contrast, WMP and PowerDVD do not have that problem). But sometimes, WMC stops exhibiting this problem, and toggles properly between window mode and fullscreen mode. When that happens, it continues to be able to toggle properly until I exit WMC. When I restart WMC, the problem resumes. I now know how to make the problem stop. 1) Watch TV or a DVD in WMC in window mode, with WMC as the active window. 2) Wait until the screensaver (Bubbles) engages, with WMC still the active window. (The screensaver timeout interval can be as little as 1 minute.) 3) Move the mouse to stop the screensaver. Now, WMC toggles properly between window mode and fullscreen mode. Obviously, WMC should be able to toggle properly without having to engage the screensaver first. GA-P35-DS3Lr2(F8) Q9450 OCZ8500(4GB) GTX260(WDDM1.1/186.18) 3xWDGreenPower(1TB)SATA WinTV1600 GGW-H20L 3007WFP(2560x1600) 6.1.7100x64 Avast4.8.1335 PowerDVD7.3.5113.0
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July 4th, 2009 2:32am

I confirm the problem. The proposed workaround works fine for me. The only difference is the screensaver behavior it doesn't start after timeout interval and WMC just begins to toggle properly. Windows 6.1.7600 AMD Catalyst 9.10 Core i7, AMD 4850 Would like to have a proper fix from Microsoft.
February 17th, 2010 12:20pm

Interesting, in a way I need to thank you for pointing out this is a problem. I know that sounds strange, but the stutter you describe is just something I accepted as "the way it works". Not that I didn't find it irritating, I just accepted it off the cuff.Now the real problem for me is I don't allow any "screensavers", so mine has never engaged, therefore never giving me the opportunity to witness it working properly.Now that I know it's a bug of sorts I'll pay a bit more attention and see if there are any ways around it without having to enable the screensaver for that particular temporary fix.Thanks,DAS
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February 18th, 2010 10:09pm

Well I gave it a try, turning on the screensaver, allowing the timeout, and right as rain I was able to switch essentially without delay or hiccup between fullscreen and scaled.Again, interesting, and thanks for pointing it out. I'll still not use a sceensaver, so I hope there is a patch for this forthcoming since it definitely appears to be a bug.DAS
February 19th, 2010 6:06pm

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